Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Italy Falling Out Of Love With Mopeds, Scooters Due To Changing Trends

Vespa In Ravenna, Italy Circa August 2011

Like France falling out of love with diesels, Italy is falling out of love with mopeds and scooters due to changing trends.

Data published by the National Association of Motorcycle, Bicycle and Accessories — ANCMA — shows moped sales crashing 97 percent, falling from the peak of 600,000 in 1980, to 26,727 units in 2014, Al Jazeera English writes. Sales of 125cc scooters aren't doing so well, either, slowly declining from 173,343 units sold in 1955, to 37,388 in 2014.

The causes for the decline? According to ANCMA's motorcycle chief Claudio Deviti, "the younger generation is just not as interested in mopeds as it used to be," with technology the key reason. Deviti says the smartphone has taken the place of the moped in fostering friendships among young consumers.

Another factor is Italy's ongoing economic downturn, weakening spending power as maintenance costs for mopeds rise. In the moped's heyday, all one needed was the money buy such a vehicle. Over 50 years later, the average cost with licensing, stamp duty, and insurance comes to $2,250, $1,350 without. Cosenza, Italy moped mechanic Attilio Brisci explains:

Today mopeds are simply too expensive for the great majority of Italian households. People have two choices: renounce the use of the moped, or simply go without insurance at the risk of getting caught. I would say the average of those who do these is 50–50, with percentages getting higher the more one goes farther south.

[Source: Luca Sartoni/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0]

The post Italy Falling Out Of Love With Mopeds, Scooters Due To Changing Trends appeared first on The Truth About Cars.



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